IceHogs Gear up for Game 1 of Calder Cup Playoffs
Published on April 20, 2016 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill. - The Rockford IceHogs (40-22-10-4) take on the Lake Erie Monsters (43-22-6-5) for Game 1 in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs tonight at 7 p.m. at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
The first 2,500 fans will receive an IceHogs rally towel courtesy of BMO Harris Bank.
For tickets, purchase online at IceHogs.com, call (815) 968-5222, in person at the BMO?Harris Bank Center Box Office in downtown Rockford, or any Ticketmaster outlet, including Walmart.
The game will be broadcast on WIFR's "Justice Network" on 23.3, as well as Comcast Cable channel 434, Charter Cable channel 194 or Mediacom Channel 102 in the Rockford market, beginning with "IceHogs Warm-Up" at 6:30 p.m. with Bob Mills and Kyle Stuetzel, and online through AHLLive.com. Fans can also listen for free online at WXRX.com or by using the IceHogs mobile app. Follow along on Twitter (@goIceHogs) for live updates throughout the game.
The IceHogs come in to tonight's game after ending the regular season on a strong note. In the last week of play the IceHogs went undefeated with three straight victories. En route to the perfect week, goaltender Mac Carruth had three stellar performances to earn him CCM/AHL Player of the Week honors for allowing only two goals on 79 shots, including a shutout against Grand Rapids last Friday night. Carruth earned himself a franchise-best shutout streak at 152:17 before surrendering a goal on Saturday.
To match the stopping power in between the pipes, Rockford set impressive records on the opposite end as well. Vince Hinostroza is the first rookie in IceHogs history to lead the team in points (51), while Mark McNeill led the team in goals (25). Also worth mentioning, Tanner Kero set a rookie record with 20 goals and is currently in the midst of a four-game point streak (1g-5a).
Shortly before the regular season came to a close, Rockford added some fire-power to lineup with the return of Dennis Rasmussen and Bryan Bickell, as well as the signing of Tyler Motte. Rasmussen spent 22 games with the Hogs earlier this season before being recalled to Chicago. Since his return, the Swedish forward has notched two assists in three games. Motte joined the IceHogs after finishing his NCAA career with the University of Michigan. The rookie forward made his presence known early on, recording two goals and three assists in five games for Rockford. Motte joined Hinostroza and Kero on a line in his professional debut. The dubbed "College Line" due to their rookie status and NCAA tenure, the trio has put up five goals and 13 assists in five games.
Lake Erie finished out the regular season in second place in the Central Division with a .638 win percentage and 97 points. Similar to the Hogs, the Monsters are in the midst of a three-game win streak. They're also bringing with them some serious scoring power from T.J. Tynan and Michael Chaput. Tynan led the Monsters in points (46) and assists (40), while Chaput ranked fourth on the team for goals (16), second in assists (29) and second-most points overall (45).
The Monsters added some new faces to their lineup as well, as the Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Zach Werenski to an entry-level contract. In seven games for Lake Erie, the 2015 first-round draft pick has notched one goal. Another new yet-familiar face to their lineup is goaltender Joonas Korpisalo who spent the majority of the season in Columbus, coming out of the NHL regular season with a .920 save percentage in 31 games. For the Monsters, Korpisalo finished with a .913 save percentage and 2.36 goals-against average in 18 games.
Next Home Game: Thursday, April 21 vs. Lake Erie Monsters. The IceHogs play the second and final home game of the Central Division Semifinals when they host the Monsters in the back end of consecutive contests. The first 2,500 fans will get a rally towel thanks to BMO Harris Bank.
American Hockey League Stories from April 20, 2016
- Monsters Take Game One in Rockford, 5-2 - Cleveland Monsters
- Rowney Loses Tooth, Wins Game 1 for Penguins in Overtime, 3-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- P-Bruins Force Overtime, Drop Game 1 to Penguins - Providence Bruins
- Rangers Recall Seven Players from Hartford - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Canucks Sign Goaltender Thatcher Demko to Three-Year Entry-Level Contract - Utica Comets
- Anaheim Ducks Sign Defenseman Keaton Thompson to Three-Year Entry-Level Contract - San Diego Gulls
- Chicago Wolves Sign Clark for 2016-17 Season - Chicago Wolves
- IceHogs Gear up for Game 1 of Calder Cup Playoffs - Rockford IceHogs
- Sound Tigers Sign Greco to ATO - Bridgeport Islanders
- Red Wings Recall Ouellet - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Albany Devils Going Red for First Round - Albany Devils
- Phantoms Weekly - Phantoms Cap 2015-16 Season on High Note - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Bears Sign Domenic Monardo to Professional Tryout - Hershey Bears
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
